Over and under trestle and bridge set



p 16, 1958 c H. KRAMER 2,852,198

OVER AND UNDER TRESTLE AND BRIDGE SET Filed Dec. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENfOR mlm \Sept. 16, 1958 c. H. KRAMER OVER AND UNDER TRESTLE AND BRIDGE SET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Filed'Dec. 17, 1956 INVENTOR United States Patent "ice 2,852,198 OVER AND UNDER TRESTLE AND BRIDGE s'ET' Carl H. Kramer, Valley Stream, N: Y., assignor to Ideal Aeroplane & Supply Co., Iuc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Applicatio'n December 17, 1956, s'enaiNo; 628,761

' Claims. (CL 238+) This invention relates tsreadiy' to the art of model railroad track and bridge equipment and in its more specific aspects it relates to a combination bridge and girder structure for model railroad trackequipment; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the arts to which it relates in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the a com anying" drawings illusfratin'g What I at present believe to be preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of my invention from among various other forms, arrangements, combinations and constructions, of which the invention is capable Within the spirit and scope thereof.

With the increasing popularity of model railroading the layouts are constantly becoming more realistic and more complete and it has been one of purposes in devising the invention of this application to, provide means whereby the model railroader may with facility provide bridges and overpasses which simulat'to a very great degree those in actual use by railroads and also on super highways which are now built and in the process of construction.

I have not'o'nly designed such structures which simulate the actual full size structures but I havealso provided such bridges and overpasses which are exceedingly stable and will support the track in a firm manner, The importance of structural stability is particularly to be emphasized when it is recognized that the bridge or overpass is adapted for use with all types'of model trains and especially for use with trains of HO gauge. nrtrabks systems of HO gauge it is necessary for smooth and efiieient operation ofthe equipment that the tr 'acklbe firm and stable. In many model bridge and overpass arrangements which are now in use thisis not theca se and the result is that the trains'do not a'lwaysoper ate in' a proper manner when running over such"bridges.

In designing my bridge and Overpass'arrangement' I have provided not only' a support for the tr aclc itself but also a structural girder which supportsflthe traekand in effect provides a solid and firm roadbed for the track as it passes over the bridge or overpass; It will be recognized that this constitutes a' highly advantageous construction over what has heretofore been'known in this art.

I have not only evolved a girder for supporting'fl e tracl and supplying a; firm and solid roadb'ed there'for but I have also formedthe' girder in" an ingenious'manner to ensure proper seating: and maintenance ofthe track in position within or on the girder. A H I The bridge and trestle Setofthis invention provides the girder for supporting andsupplyingia firmroadbed for the track with the" aforementioned and otheradvarn tages and the girder is also formed for q uiclc and easy combination with the track. In accomplishing this pa'rticular purpose I have so designedthe t ra'ckl and the girder that they may be easily assembled without resorting to clamps or any other extraneous'afiixingmeans. v

The girder with the track positioned therein is adapted fiat reared Sept. 16, was

to be supported on a pair or more of uprights or means for supporting the girder from the base surface upon which the model layout is supported. I have provided ingenious means on the uprights for coaction with means on the girder whereby the elements are removably fastened together. The coacting means are so formed that the girder is firmly supported from the uprights and will remain firmly supported with a minimum of vibration and lateral movements when the trains or cars or other equipment passes thereover.

1 I have also provided a novel arrangement whereby the assembly which includesthe trackvand the girder is supported on the girder at a plurality of points rather than at a single point to thereby reduce the strain on the structureof the uprights and to provide, a more stable structure for providing the overpass .of' this invention.

The coa'ctingmeans mentioned above is so designed that the uprights and the girder may be ,tastenedtogether or assembled with the utmost facility. The assembly of the elements is thus, not acomplicated matter and may be accomplished with ease by a child as well as an adult. The assembly of these parts of thejdevice does not require theuse of .any extraneous partssuch as clamps, hence the operation is simplified and there are no parts to get lost or broken;

In many installations it may be desirable for a variety of reasons to mount the track on the uprights without using the girder. It will be recognized that such" an arrangement will involve less cost than where the girders are employed. I have provided the uprights of this invention with means so thatthey may be used'to support the track without the girder and I have alsomadethe same manner as though the track was seated within the: girder. I I, U

It will thus be appreciated that I have provided an over and under bridge and trestle set which is versatile iri its usesand combinations of use. i I, t v I The parts which are used in my over and under bridge set are of sturdy construction and aredesigned for long life under normal use conditions, they are relatively economical to produce, light in weight and not bullgy, With the foregoing general objects, features and results in view, as Well as certain others which will be apparent from the following explanation, the invention consists in certain novel features in design, construction, mounting and combination of elements, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Fig. lis a plan view of my over and under bridge and trestle set illustrating the girder carrying a' section of track and mounted on a pair of uprights.

1 to designate in its entirety a' section of miniature or elements 7. Connecting members 9 of any suitable type may be provided on opposite rails at each end of a section of track. It will be understood that these members 9 receive the end of the next rail section, so that the sections may be joined together.

In Figs. 1 through 3 of the drawings I have illustrated I an over and under trestle and bridge set in which the track is supported in a girder illustrated in its entirety by the numeral 11, the girder or girders being supported from uprights in a manner to be hereinafter described. The girders 11 are preferably though not necessarily formed as an extruded aluminum shape so as to provide a rigid and lightweight support and stabilizing element for the track sections when forming an overpass and are supported on one or a plurality of uprights which form a part of the combination of this invention and will be described in detail hereinafter.

Each girder 11 comprises a pair of sides 13 connected together in spaced relation by a web 15, the width of the web being slightly greater than the length of the ties of the track so that the track section will fit between the sides 13 and be supported on a web in a manner as will be described. Consideration of the drawings clearly indicates that the web or supporting surface of the girder is spaced above the bottom or lower edge of each of the,

sides of the girder and below the top edge and forms a horizontal supporting surface or firm roadbed for the sections of the track.

Each of the sides of the girder is provided with a base flange 17 having an inner section 18 which extends along the bottom edge of each side and provides a supporting base for the girder. I provide an inwardly extending flange 19 on each girder side 13, the inwardly extending flanges being spaced upwardly above the supporting web. 15. The inwardly extending flanges 19 are spaced upwardly from the connecting web 15 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the ties 5 of the track sections so that the track sections may be received between the flanges and the supporting web as will be described in detail. Along its top edge each side of the girder may be provided with an outwardly extending flange 21.

In order to support the girders either with or without their contained or mounted track sections I have devised uprights of an ingenious nature and each upright which I have designated generally by the numeral 23 may be made of any suitable plastic, metal or other material which will provide a substantially rigid lightweight structure inherently capable of supporting a girder and contained track section. Each such upright comprises a pair of spaced vertical elements 25, preferably though not necessarily of angle section. The vertical elements are connected together at their upper ends by a top cross member 27 and adjacent to but spaced from their lower ends by a bottom cross member 29. It will be evident that the upright structure is so formed that the vertical elements converge somewhat toward their tops in order to provide a structure having greater inherent stability. Crossed reinforcing members 31 may extend from opposite corners of the structure and reinforcing plates 33 may be provided at the corners of the structure and such plates may be formed with simulated rivets 35. Feet 37 may be formed on the lower end of each vertical element and a lateral section 39 may be formed to extend outwardly from each foot of each vertical element and each of these sections may be formedvwith a hole 41 therethrough for receiving a screw or the like for fastening the uprights to a supporting surface.

Extending upwardly from the top cross member 27 and fixed thereto or formed integral therewith adjacent to but inwardly spaced from each end thereof is a positioning projection which I have designated in its entirety by the numeral 43. Each positioning projection consists of a stem 44, a substantially plane top or bed surface 45 which, as will become apparent, is adapted to form one support point for the girder. Each positioning projection is also formed with an outwardly extending rounded clamping nose 47 and an inwardly extending rounded nub 49. Consideration of the drawings will disclose that the clamping nose 47 constitutes a greater extension than the nub 49 and that each of these formations are upwardly spaced from the base of the positioning projection to thereby form the stem 44.

When the over and under trestle and bridge set involving the girder 11 as an element thereof is assembled a section of track 1.is positioned in the girder 11, it is preferable though not necessary that the section of track and the girder be more or less of the same length. Reference particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates that the section of track is slid into position within the girder with the ties S mounted and supported on the supporting web 15 of the girder between the web and the inwardly directed retaining flanges 19. With the girder and track so assembled the assembly is in readiness to be mounted on a pair or more of uprights so as to support the track and the girder above the supporting surface over which the track is intended to extend. The upright is positioned with one of the clamping noses 47 inserted in the area between the inner section 18 of the base flange 17 and the under surface of the supporting web 15 whereupon the upright is rotated or twisted so that the clamping nose 47 on the other positioning projection will he slid into its proper clamping position between section 18 of the base flange and the supporting web of the girder. Now with one upright removably fixed to each girder adjacent each end thereof or at any other desirable points therealong it will be evident that the assembly will be firmly supported by the uprights, and that the track will be maintained in position within the girder. Since the distance between the upper surface of the inner sections 18 of the base flanges and the supporting webs is substantially equal to the thickness of the clamping nose it will be recognized that the assembly will be supported at four points, i. e., on each bed surface 45 of each positioning projection and where each base flange seats on the top of the upright. Because of this arrangement it will be understood that the uprights take the essential weights at these four points instead of merely at one support point. This construction obviously results in a more stable arrangement and greatly reduces the chance of breakdown by the uprights. It also allows the uprights tobe made lighter and, if desired, of material having less strength than would otherwise be required.

It will be understood that while I have illustrated the overpass as including a track mounted in and supported by the girder that the girder may be supported from the uprights without the track being mounted therein. When this is the case the girder will be used to simulate an overpass for vehicular traffic other than trains. It will be recognized that such an arrangement represents an advance in this art for I have provided a single element which can be used as a roadbed for a track in an overpass arrangement and can also be used merely as an overpass without the track without any change whatsoever. Thus, the versatility of the assembly is greatly enhanced.

It will be further understood that any number of track sections and girders may be used so that overpasses of varying lengths may be provided in the easy and simple manner above described and it is to be further understood that while I have shown two uprights being used for one girder, more may be used if desired. It is also within my contemplation to employ the girder as a solid and firm roadbed for track without using the uprights.

In Figs. and 6 of the drawings I have illustrated the assembly providing an overpass without utilizing the girders which have heretofore been described. When the girders are not used the track is supported directly from the uprights and I have accomplished this result without having to change the track sections or the girders in any manner whatsoever. In other words, the same uprights are used to support the track alone as are used to support the track when it is mounted in a girder.

When the track is supported directly from the uprights without employing the roadbed forming girders the nubs 49 on the positioning projections are clamped over the outer flanges 51 of the rails 3 as is clearly disclosed in Fig. 6 of the drawings and the ties 5 rest on the sections 53 on cross member 27 from which the positioning projections 43 extend. It will be understood that the built up sections 53 could be eliminated if desired in which case the ties 5 would rest directly upon the top surfaces of the cross members 27. In any event the length of the stem 44 is substantially equal to the thickness of flange 51 and tie 5 so that the track will be firmly clamped between the nub 49 and the built up section 53.

It will now be recognized that I have evolved an assembly providing an over and under trestle and bridge set which provides a stable and firm support for a track and roadbed therefor and that the elements comprising this assembly have been designed for versatility to provide without change several diflerent arrangements and combinations.

I claim:

1. An overpass assembly adapted for use in model train systems, including, in combination, a track and a girder for supporting and providing a roadbed for the track, said girder having sides and each side being provided on its lower edge with an inwardly directed flange, a web fixed to and extending between said sides in upwardly spaced relation relative to said flanges and adapted to support the track, and uprights for supporting said girder in elevated position, means on said uprights extending between said web and said flanges for removably fastening said girder to said uprights.

2. An overpass assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means engages said web and said flanges and said flanges engage said uprights.

3. An overpass assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means comprises a pair of oppositely spaced 6 positioning projections fixed on the top of each upright, and each positioning projection is provided with an out wardly directed clamping nose extended between said web and one of said flanges.

4. An overpass assembly adapted for use in model train systems, including in combination, a track, an elongated, portable and substantially rigid roadbed therefor, and uprights for supporting said track and roadbed in elevated position, said roadbed and uprights including mutually co-active means for removably fastening said roadbed thereto and said means supporting said roadbed on said uprights.

5. An upright adapted to support a roadbed for vehicles in a model vehicular system, said upright being provided with a pair of oppositely spaced positioning projections, one of said projections being fixed to the top surface of said upright at one side thereof and the other of said projections being fixed to the top surface of said upright at the other side thereof, and each positioning projection including a stem fixed to the top surface of the upright and a clamping nose extending laterally in one direction from the upper portion of the stem and a nub extending laterally in the opposite direction from the upper portion of the stem, and the clamping nose and nub being in spaced relation to the top surface of the upright and said clamping nose being adapted to engage and removably fasten a roadbed to the upright and said nub being adapted to engage and removably fasten a track thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 60,205 Leopold Dec. 4, 1866 498,994 Strobel June 6, 1893 883,178 Dickson Mar. 31, 1908 1,088,802 White Mar. 3, 1914 1,265,990 Benner May 14, 1918 1,828,536 Koerber Oct. 20, 1931 1,837,706 Ferguson Dec. 22, 1931 2,065,493 Greulich Dec. 22, 1936 2,161,276 Bonnett June 6, 1939 2,757,893 Merz Aug. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 803,883 Germany Apr. 12, 1951 

